Published: Tuesday, July 15, 2014 at 2:30 p.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, July 15, 2014 at 7:03 p.m.

HOOVER, Ala. — Steve Spurrier has seen a few of these SEC Media Days, 22 to be exact. As usual, on Tuesday he was relaxed and funny, took some jabs, talked about Davy Crockett and likened his biggest booster to an NFL owner.

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He was smiling and eager to get started on another season, in some ways a historic season because the 69-year-old coach is about to become the first coach in college football history to coach for 10 seasons at two different schools.

Why wouldn't he be at ease?

He has the best job in the SEC.

He made it a great job. It wasn't that great when he arrived in Columbia, S.C. But he rounded up boosters and has won more games than any coach in school history and has pushed for better facilities. He's changed the culture and the expectations.

But the reason he has the best job in the conference?

He doesn't have to win it.

“Our fans realize there's more to life than winning the SEC Championship,” he said Tuesday.

Blasphemy.

It's a far cry from his days at Florida where winning the SEC was all that mattered. The coach who once pulled his starting quarterback against Florida State to save him for the SEC Championship Game and was one game over .500 in his bowl games at UF still wants to win South Carolina's first SEC title.

But if he doesn't, it's not like he has to worry about it.

How sweet is that job security?

“I can assure you a majority of our fans would say, 'We'd rather beat Clemson than win the SEC,' ” Spurrier said. “Personally, I'd rather win the SEC.”

But he doesn't have to.

All he has to do is keep doing what he's doing and he'll be the coach at South Carolina for as long as he wants.

And who knows how long that will be?

“Pat Dooley always told me I'll coach longer at South Carolina than I did at Florida,” Spurrier told the assembled print media. “He may be right. We don't know yet, but he may be right.”

Umm, I don't remember that, but I'll take his word for it because Spurrier doesn't forget anything. And the fact he said it with that trademark glint in his eye tells me he will accomplish it.

Last year at this very gathering, I asked him about going for Bear Bryant's record of 159 SEC wins. He waved me off, saying he wouldn't be coaching that long. He was asked the same question at the spring meetings in Destin and said he'd have stayed at Florida if he wanted to go after the record.

But on Tuesday, he sure sounded like a guy who has at least four more years in him.

That would give him 13 seasons at South Carolina, one more than at Florida. And if he continues to win SEC games the way he is now (18 in the last three seasons), well, that would put him only seven wins behind Bryant after the 2017 season.

Think he'd walk away then?

Not a chance.

He may be 69, but he looks 59 and acts 29. He may be the second-oldest coach in Division I college football behind Bill Snyder of Kansas State, but he still has the energy and drive to keep beating Clemson and winning bowl games.

Which is where the bar is now at South Carolina. It's higher than it has ever been. The football program has never been in this kind of shape.

It's just not the same bar he set at Florida. There, his UF teams were almost always in the national title hunt. Those Gators won six SEC titles and were devastated in the years when they did not.

At South Carolina, Spurrier has built a different legacy. It's impressive, especially considering that he inherited a fanbase that always expected the worst.

In the past three years, Spurrier has gone 33-6. It's what Gamecock fans dreamed of when he was hired just after the 2004 regular season.

But I'm guessing they were also dreaming of winning a conference championship.

It's just not as big a deal as it is at some other places.

They can live without one and it's pretty clear Spurrier can, too. He has plenty of rings at home, bright orange-and-blue ones.

Can he get them over the hump when that hump isn't loaded with the fuel that lights his fire?

“We need one of those Eastern Division teams to lose a game,” he said. “But there are other things out there. I've also learned over the last several years when you win that bowl game, life is a lot more comfortable in the offseason.

“Hopefully, we can add an SEC Championship.”

But nobody is going to complain if he doesn't.

Contact Pat Dooley at 352-374-5053 or at dooleyp@gvillesun.com. And follow at Twitter.com/Pat_Dooley.

<p>HOOVER, Ala. — Steve Spurrier has seen a few of these SEC Media Days, 22 to be exact. As usual, on Tuesday he was relaxed and funny, took some jabs, talked about Davy Crockett and likened his biggest booster to an NFL owner.</p><p>He was smiling and eager to get started on another season, in some ways a historic season because the 69-year-old coach is about to become the first coach in college football history to coach for 10 seasons at two different schools.</p><p>Why wouldn't he be at ease? </p><p>He has the best job in the SEC.</p><p>He made it a great job. It wasn't that great when he arrived in Columbia, S.C. But he rounded up boosters and has won more games than any coach in school history and has pushed for better facilities. He's changed the culture and the expectations.</p><p>But the reason he has the best job in the conference?</p><p>He doesn't have to win it.</p><p>“Our fans realize there's more to life than winning the SEC Championship,” he said Tuesday.</p><p>Blasphemy.</p><p>It's a far cry from his days at Florida where winning the SEC was all that mattered. The coach who once pulled his starting quarterback against Florida State to save him for the SEC Championship Game and was one game over .500 in his bowl games at UF still wants to win South Carolina's first SEC title. </p><p>But if he doesn't, it's not like he has to worry about it.</p><p>How sweet is that job security?</p><p>“I can assure you a majority of our fans would say, 'We'd rather beat Clemson than win the SEC,' ” Spurrier said. “Personally, I'd rather win the SEC.”</p><p>But he doesn't have to.</p><p>All he has to do is keep doing what he's doing and he'll be the coach at South Carolina for as long as he wants.</p><p>And who knows how long that will be?</p><p>“Pat Dooley always told me I'll coach longer at South Carolina than I did at Florida,” Spurrier told the assembled print media. “He may be right. We don't know yet, but he may be right.”</p><p>Umm, I don't remember that, but I'll take his word for it because Spurrier doesn't forget anything. And the fact he said it with that trademark glint in his eye tells me he will accomplish it.</p><p>Last year at this very gathering, I asked him about going for Bear Bryant's record of 159 SEC wins. He waved me off, saying he wouldn't be coaching that long. He was asked the same question at the spring meetings in Destin and said he'd have stayed at Florida if he wanted to go after the record.</p><p>But on Tuesday, he sure sounded like a guy who has at least four more years in him.</p><p>That would give him 13 seasons at South Carolina, one more than at Florida. And if he continues to win SEC games the way he is now (18 in the last three seasons), well, that would put him only seven wins behind Bryant after the 2017 season. </p><p>Think he'd walk away then?</p><p>Not a chance.</p><p>He may be 69, but he looks 59 and acts 29. He may be the second-oldest coach in Division I college football behind Bill Snyder of Kansas State, but he still has the energy and drive to keep beating Clemson and winning bowl games.</p><p>Which is where the bar is now at South Carolina. It's higher than it has ever been. The football program has never been in this kind of shape. </p><p>It's just not the same bar he set at Florida. There, his UF teams were almost always in the national title hunt. Those Gators won six SEC titles and were devastated in the years when they did not.</p><p>At South Carolina, Spurrier has built a different legacy. It's impressive, especially considering that he inherited a fanbase that always expected the worst.</p><p>In the past three years, Spurrier has gone 33-6. It's what Gamecock fans dreamed of when he was hired just after the 2004 regular season.</p><p>But I'm guessing they were also dreaming of winning a conference championship. </p><p>It's just not as big a deal as it is at some other places.</p><p>They can live without one and it's pretty clear Spurrier can, too. He has plenty of rings at home, bright orange-and-blue ones. </p><p>Can he get them over the hump when that hump isn't loaded with the fuel that lights his fire?</p><p>“We need one of those Eastern Division teams to lose a game,” he said. “But there are other things out there. I've also learned over the last several years when you win that bowl game, life is a lot more comfortable in the offseason. </p><p>“Hopefully, we can add an SEC Championship.”</p><p>But nobody is going to complain if he doesn't.</p><p><i>Contact Pat Dooley at 352-374-5053 or at dooleyp@gvillesun.com. And follow at Twitter.com/Pat_Dooley.</i></p>